


While You Were Gone

by lunabelle



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Love, Returning Home, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 15:50:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5462285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunabelle/pseuds/lunabelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>April decides to surprise Andy when she returns home for good from Washington DC.</p>
            </blockquote>





	While You Were Gone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GamblingDementor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GamblingDementor/gifts).



April didn’t really get excited about things…ever. The types of events that made her giddy, breathless; with that heart-pumping, brain-exploding, bursting-at-the-seams excitement were few and far between. However, when Andy was involved, there was simply no other way to be.

She didn’t tell him she’d be getting home earlier than planned. For once in her life, April wanted to be the one surprising someone. With assurance from Ben via text message that he’d pack up her desk and the rest of her belongings, she boarded the first plane from DC heading to Pawnee and never looked back.

She supposed her time in Washington was well-spent. She learned some things about politics that she didn’t already know, she met plenty of important people, and she made some money doing it. As for a career, the political sphere of employment just wasn’t for her. Now, all she was thinking about was seeing Andy’s face. His big, goofy, kid-like smile as she walked through the door, his strong arms lifting her up in the air, the hours they’d spend from now until forever just being together, making up for all and any lost time while she was away…

She just wished the damn cab driver would drive faster.

 

April practically flung the money at the man as she hurried out of the cab and grabbed her things. Rushing up the front steps, she turned the doorknob quickly, pushing it wide open. It was after five, so Andy had to be home from work. Plus, his car was in the driveway. Unless he got a ride from Leslie, which April knew he often did during her time in DC.

With no other explanation for lack of her husband and their dog, she shut the door and hurried upstairs to their room. Sure enough, piled onto the bed in a heap amid pillows and blankets was Andy, snoring soundly, still half dressed from work (shirt and tie, no pants—she had to laugh to herself) and Champion was at his feet.

 _“Maybe I should’ve warned him I was coming after all,”_ she thought to herself as she surveyed the adorable sight before her.

She leaned over so her mouth was an inch away from his ear. “Andy,” she whispered.

He twitched in his sleep and rolled onto his back, mumbling something about ice cream and pizza. He was a heavy sleeper…he always had been.

“Babe,” she tried again, this time shaking his shoulder ever so gently. _“Babe!”_

He woke with a jolt and gasped, his green eyes blinking rapidly and looking in every direction before his focus stopped on her. He was staring at her like he couldn't believe she existed.

“Honey?” he looked and sounded confused. His hair was sticking up in all different directions.

“I’m home,” she said with a grin, raising her arms up and back down again. “For good,” she added softly. “Surprise.”

Andy blinked for only another second before his arms shot out and he pulled her into the warmest, tightest, most amazing hug. She let herself fold into his huge embrace, and she felt immediately safe and at home once again. 

“Honey, this is the best surprise I’ve ever gotten in my entire life,” he said happily, his scruffy beard brushing against her cheek. “For a second I seriously thought I was dreaming.”

She cupped his face with her hands and looked at him. He looked so relieved and thrilled, and maybe still a little tired, but his face said it all. “I love you so much,” she whispered, leaning in to kiss him softly. “I missed you so much.”

“Love you too,” he returned it happily, pulling her into him for another hug. “I can’t believe you’re home already. You didn’t even call or anything…I’m such a mess right now,” he laughed, looking down at his boxers and tie combination. “I was super tired after work…”

“No, you are perfect right now,” her eyes darted down and up again.

“Well,” Andy cleared his throat. “You…I mean, you are just beautiful, babe…as always. I wish I looked more…presentable or something.” 

She watched his eyes travel up and down her front. She bit her lip, waiting.

It only took another fraction of a second before they were all over each other. As April helped remove Andy’s tie, she thought to herself that THIS, _this_ is what she wanted and needed most of all: him, them, together.

 

“April,” Andy whispered, hours later, as the two of them lay together under piles of blankets.

It was warm under the covers, and not because of the many layers, but Andy’s constant, unending heat his body gave off. She had no recollection of time, because at one point the alarm clock had been knocked off the bedside table and neither of them had bothered to retrieve it. Three times in a row and things were bound to get a little crazy.

“Yeah?” she breathed. She was too tired and comfortable to move, pushed up against him with her arms tucked between them, and his arm resting heavily over her.

“What did you do when you were alone every night?” He asked curiously. “Like, when I wasn’t there…”

She smiled. “I’d think about you and try to fall asleep,” she replied seriously. “Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn’t. Sometimes I’d stay up for hours after our Skype chats, missing you.”

“Oh.”

“What did you do?”

“Missed you a lot,” he replied. “Played video games all night till I fell asleep. Hoped that you’d surprise me one night like you just did, even thought I knew you couldn’t.”

She kissed his shoulder and nodded. 

“Leslie didn’t come over as much, you know, with you guys away,” Andy sighed. “It got a little lonely.”

April frowned and reached out to play with the hair behind his ears. “Sorry about that, babe…it must’ve sucked.”

“Yeah, it did.”

“Um, did anything fun happen at work while I was gone?”

“Hmm,” Andy thought to himself for a moment and suddenly laughed out loud. “Remember when I told you Leslie had to teach safe sex to a bunch of old people?”

“Eww, yes,” April replied, scrunching up her nose.

“Well, she got in all sorts of trouble for it, and I ate all her demonstration bananas.”

“Babe…”

“Oh! And Tom crashed Ron’s car trying to go buy a new phone because his got taken away.”

“How come you get to see all the awesome stuff?” she mumbled, as Andy pulled the blankets higher over them.

“It wasn’t that great without you, though,” he added, solemnly.

She laughed, and he chuckled happily along with her.

“You hungry?” she asked. Neither of them had actually eaten since she returned. Then again, she felt too pleasantly sore to move.

“No,” he shook his head. April nodded, knowing that he probably felt the same. She waited for him to continue.

“I’ve been practicing being a cop,” he said suddenly, his face excited. “Chris has been taking me out running and stuff.”

“You better not get all thin on me,” she rubbed his side and grinned. “I don’t want you to look different, I just want you to be healthier.”

“I’ll look good, though,” he replied sleepily, catching her hand and entwining his fingers with her own.

“You always look good,” she told him. “But I’m super proud of you, babe,” she yawned, snuggling closer.

“Yeah, the running sucks, but it’s worth it.” He leaned over to kiss her again, and for a moment, that was her focus as the two of them lay together. His forehead was warm against hers, and all she knew was this moment.

She felt so beautifully serene, so comforted, so safe in his arms, she never wanted to move. She could stay here forever, for the rest of her life, and she’d be happy. She wasn't allowed to feel this happy… _was she?_ She didn’t know, nor did she care, because she just _was._ No one was going to take that from her.

“Just stay here, okay?” she whispered, as they broke apart after seconds that felt like hours.

“Where else would I go?” he asked, puzzled.

“I don’t know… Anywhere. Just stay here with me.”

Andy nodded, like it was the single most important goal of his entire lifetime. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good,” she whispered. 

She could feel him settle closer, exhausted, ready to fall asleep.

“You stay here too,” he mumbled, closing his eyes, as the last vestige of energy drained from his voice.

“Mmm,” she nodded, feeling herself getting carried away to sleep. She thought of the morning, and the possibility of dinosaur-shaped pancakes and taking Champion for a long walk through the park. “I’m never leaving. Promise.”


End file.
